FIBA zone FIBA Europe Medals 0 Medals 0 Coach Ilias Zouros Location Georgia | Appearances 0 Appearances 0 Appearances 3 (First in 2011) Joined FIBA 1992 | |
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National federation Georgian Basketball Federation | ||
The Georgia men's national basketball team (Georgian: საქართველოს ეროვნული საკალათბურთო ნაკრები) represents the country of Georgia in international basketball competitions. It is controlled by Georgian Basketball Federation, the GBF, that was established on June 4, 1991 after Georgia became independent from Soviet Union. The country is a FIBA member since 1992. The first official game was played against Poland in 1995.
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The team made its EuroBasket debut in 2011. They qualified for three following tournaments in 2013, 2015 and 2017 as well.
Soviet era
Until 1991 Georgia was a part of Soviet Union and players born in Georgia played for the Soviet Union national basketball team. Notable players born in Georgia who played for Soviet Union and won medals in Olympic Games, FIBA World Cup and EuroBasket include: Nodar Dzhordzhikiya, Otar Korkia, Guram Minashvili, Vladimer Ugrekhelidze, Levan Moseshvili, Zurab Sakandelidze and Mikheil Korkia.
Independent Georgia
After gaining independence from Soviet Union, on several occasions Georgian national team unsuccessfully tried to qualify for the EuroBasket, Europe's biggest basketball competition and major tournament. The team also played in EuroBasket Division B three times and gained promotion in 2009 after defeating Belarus in play-offs. After the expansion of EuroBasket in 2011 from 16 to 24 teams, Georgia qualified to competition for the first time and since then they played at every tournament.
The team played five matches in Group D. They won games against Belgium and Ukraine, lost three matches and advanced in the second round, but lost all three matches.
After finishing second in qualifying group, Georgia qualified for its second Eurobasket tournament. After comfortable 84–67 victory in the opening match over Poland, Georgia lost four remaining matches and finished the tournament. To this date Eurobasket 2013 was the only tournament, when Georgia could not win more than one match.
Georgia qualified to Eurobasket for the third successive time in 2014. In group after three straight losses, Georgia defeated Macedonia 90–75. In last match Georgians met tournament co–hosts and balkan basketball giants Croatia, beat them 71–58 and qualified to the knockout stages for the first time, where they suffered narrow 81–85 defeat to tournament favorites and future finalists Lithuania.
In EuroBasket 2017 qualification Georgia topped it's group after 90–84 victory over Montenegro and qualified to Eurobasket for fourth successive time.
The core of the team that consistently qualified to Europe's biggest basketball competition consisted of captain Zaza Pachulia, Viktor Sanikidze, Manuchar Markoishvili, Tornike Shengelia, Giorgi Tsintsadze and Giorgi Shermadini.
Current roster
Roster for the EuroBasket 2017 qualification.
Past rosters
2011 EuroBasket squad: finished 11th among 24 teams
Giorgi Gamqrelidze, Vladimir Boisa, Anatoli Boisa, Zaza Pachulia, Giorgi Tsintsadze, Giorgi Shermadini, Lasha Parghalava, Manuchar Markoishvili, MarQuez Haynes, Viktor Sanikidze, Tornike Shengelia, Nikoloz Tskitishvili (Coach: Igor Kokoškov)
2013 EuroBasket squad: finished 17th among 24 teams
Nika Metreveli, Otar Pkhakadze, Duda Sanadze, Beka Burjanadze, Giorgi Tsintsadze, Giorgi Shermadini, Ricky Hickman, Manuchar Markoishvili, Levan Patsatsia, Viktor Sanikidze, Besik Lezhava, Nikoloz Tskitishvili (Coach: Igor Kokoškov)
2015 EuroBasket squad: finished 15th among 24 teams
Jacob Pullen, Nika Metreveli, Zaza Pachulia, Giorgi Tsintsadze, Giorgi Shermadini, Duda Sanadze, Manuchar Markoishvili, Levan Patsatsia, Viktor Sanikidze, Beka Burjanadze, Tornike Shengelia, Besik Lezhava (Coach: Igor Kokoškov)
Manufacturer
2015: Spalding
Sponsor
2015: Natakhtari